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What 131 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (131)Crash / fire / injury (16)Airbags (28)Seats (19)Electrical system (15)Body & structure (13)Steering (13)Transmission & drivetrain (12)Lights (10)Visibility & wipers (8)Suspension (7)Tires (7)

4 of 131 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 15, 2020Electrical systemCrash

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD GUN LIKE SOUND HAPPENS. SOUND WILL NOT TURN OFF EVEN WITH THE VEHICLE OFF OR VOLUME TURNED DOWN. THIS ISSUE IS RELATED TO THE BOSE AMP FAILURE WHICH THE DEALERSHIP HAS REFUSED TO FIX FOR FREE OR DIAGNOSE FOR FREE. CONTACTED BOSE AND THEY HAVE CONFIRMED THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THEY NO LONGER HONOR AND REFERRED ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP WILL CHARGE $1300 JUST FOR THE AMP ALONE.

NHTSA ODI 11383565

Feb 20, 2020Electrical systemAirbagsElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash

AIRBAGS: DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT OF A STREETLAMP POLE ON THE FRONT DRIVERSIDE QUARTER. FRONT FARRING DAMAGED AND REPLACED. I WAS TURNING LEFT, IT WAS RAINING, THE GLARE OF THE LIGHT BLINDED ME ENOUGH TO GO UP ON THE CURB AND IMPACT THE STREETLAMP POLE. I REPLACED THE FARRING AND HAD MY MAZDA3 FULLY ALIGNED. ELECTRICAL: PURCHASED VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 2016. REPLACED BATTERY 4 TIMES, ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. SEAT HEATERS HAVEN'T WORKED EVER. DRIVERSIDE SEAT STARTED WIGGLING AFTER CONTACT WITH STREETLAMP POLE.

NHTSA ODI 11310455

May 13, 2019Electrical systemFire

DURING SHORT DRIVE ON SURFACE ROADS (UNDER 45 MPH), ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND MELTED PLASTIC CLIPS; FUSE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THIS DID NOT WORK.

NHTSA ODI 11207236

Jan 12, 2015Electrical systemFire

EVIDENCE OF FIRE DAMAGE AROUND THE FIVE SPEED GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM ONLY WITH RADIATED HEAT MELTING THE ADJOINING DRIVERS SEAT. NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF FIRE ANYWHERE ELSE AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF DUE TO THE VEHICLES WINDOWS BEING ROLLED-UP WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE TO LACK OXYGEN WHICH IN TURN, CAUSED THE FIRE TO SMOLDER AT WHICH POINT THE OWNER APPROACHED THE CAR AS HE WAS GOING TO WORK AND OBSERVED AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO FIRE OFFICIALS. CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE THAT TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10672012

Working with the data? Download all 131 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan verdict →